The moment John Lennon kissed Jerry Lee Lewis' shoe - why and why not
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What would you do if you met one of your own. idols? Most people spend a decent amount of time daydreaming about finally getting the chance to talk to those they most admire. According to some sources, even the mighty Bob Dylan was so overwhelmed with crushing admiration for Elvis Presley that he reportedly once knelt down and kissed the spot on the ground where Elvis once stood at the iconic Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee.
What about John Lennon? Could such a wayward man, immortalised in the chronicles of musical and cultural history, have had someone in his life whom he would willingly bow down to, let alone kiss the floor on which his idol once stood? It seems that even the most iconic musicians have a muse who inspired them to create art in the first place, and for the late ex-Beatle, that person was the Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jerry Lee Lewis is a name unjustly forgotten by many
Over the years, the popularity of many artists waneand their once resounding names are sadly being forgotten. And so it was with Jerry Lee Lewisthe man who pioneered rock 'n' roll. American singer, pianist, composer, one of the founders and leading performers of rock 'n' roll - an entire band and a picturesque alleyway in his hometown are named in his honour! However, when he passed away in October 2022, only a few listeners felt the loss...
Performer "Great Balls Of Fire!" died "of natural causes" on 28 October 2022 at the age of 87. It's an indisputable fact: during his colourful and rich career Lewis created a fair amount of peerless music and had a strong influence on many currently popular rockers. It's no secret that. The Magnificent Four sought refuge in music in their youth and exhibited a deep and enduring reverence for the titans of rock 'n' roll that came before them. And one of those titans was Jerry Lee Lewis.
John Lennon idolised Lewis
As a child, Lennon mainly listened to American blues and pop artists such as Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis.and it was the latter that probably made the greatest impression on him.
In his 1971 interview, Lennon told Rolling Stone magazine that Lewis was a unrivalled in his craft, and certainly remained unrivalled by any of his contemporaries.
"This music inspired me to create my own art. Conceptually, there's nothing like rock 'n' roll. But no band, be it the Beatles, the Stones or even Bob Dylan, would ever have made 'Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On' better..."
The moment Lennon kissed Lewis's shoe.
Elliot Mintzand former friend and spokesman John Lennon and Yoko Ono, once described the night he first introduced Lennon to Jerry Lee Lewis after one of the latter's concerts. Mintz recalled:
"I looked at John's face, and he was looking at Jerry like that... You know, like a kid opening a Christmas present."
When the concert was over, he and Lennon were given access to Lewis's dressing room to congratulate him on a great performance and chat for a few minutes. It is alleged that Lennon was overflowing with excitement and awe, and when he finally came face to face with the man whose music he loved so fondly, he actually fell to his knees and kissed Lewis' shoe! Mintz continues:
"I looked at John, who was standing at the side, but he wasn't there. Then I looked down and John was on his knees ... he had actually kissed Jerry Lee Lewis' shoe."
In response, Jerry Lee tapped Lennon on the shoulder and stretched:
"Son, there's no need for that."
As it turns out, it was single meeting John Lennon and Jerry Lee Lewis.
